Believe it or not, the UK's first Chip & PIN transaction was made way back in May 2003. Now, more than four years later, some 900,000 tills, 98 per cent of all tills in the country, use the technology, handling 185 transactions every second.
The idea, of course, was introduced to cut card fraud - and it seems to have worked. APACS, the bankers' organisation, says card fraud losses have fallen by two-thirds since 2004.
The system isn't watertight, though. Organised criminal gangs continue to target businesses to try to copy magnetic stripe details from customers' cards, which they then use to create fake cards that can be used overseas in countries that do not have Chip & PIN.
So last month APACS published a guide to remind card-accepting businesses that they need to take certain steps to keep their chip and PIN equipment - not to mention their customers' bank accounts - safe and secure.
Advice includes:
- Always place Chip & PIN terminals in a location that allows the customer to use them in a way that prevents other customers seeing their PIN
- Devise an inventory to record the serial numbers of your terminals and their location
- Make staff aware of all the potential ways that criminals can target card data and encourage them to report any issues or concerns they have.
"The UK is leading the way in identifying and developing technology to address card-related fraud and we are fully committed to tackling card fraud in all its guises," says Sandra Quinn, director of communications at APACS."Raising awareness about the importance of the physical security of Chip & PIN equipment, and standard staff recruitment and vetting procedures can play an important role in tackling fraud.
"Simple measures such as training staff to be aware of potential fraud threats and common fraud techniques will significantly reduce the chances of businesses falling victim to fraud."
The full retailer advice guide, which includes useful facts, statistics and tips on what steps businesses can take to help keep card data safe and secure, can be downloaded from www.apacs.org.uk and www.cardwatch.org.uk. Or simply speak to your bank.